Misunderstandings and take backs
by whotakesthesepictures
Summary: Emma proposes to Regina. Then she takes it back.


**Misunderstandings and take backs**

Right after that first blow to the head, I knew that I had picked the wrong fight.  
I felt like the walls in the meticulously decorated office were closing in on me. Everything was in black and white, as timeless and sophisticated as the woman now dropping her hand down in defeat in front of me, her expression a mixture of shock and hurt. The vase I had gotten her for our four-year anniversary, a desperate attempt at impressing her with something other than chocolate or flowers last minute, stood in the center of the glass table in the corner almost mocking me. It was bright orange and I had only bought it because it was the exact same shade as the sweater I had worn out on our first date. We hadn't even said our hello's before she had ordered me to go change. Something about how no date of hers would ever wear something so ugly. I had refused. Later she'd told me how I was the only one she wouldn't automatically get her way with, which was why she had agreed to our second date.

"I warned you Miss Swan-" I knew I was in trouble. I really did. The only time she resorted to using my last name was when I had done something that would result in reacquainting myself with the couch downstairs- miles away from the comfortable bed we usually shared.

My cheek was throbbing. The faint taste of salt and metal on my lips revealed how hard she had actually struck. I looked down my chest and saw a red drop seeping into my white tank top. The blood soaked material was starting to stick to my skin, but the thing that made me the most uncomfortable was how low my blow had actually been.  
"Regina, look, I know I screwed up, but if I could just-" I began a desperate attempt at explaining my actions. She interrupted me before I could finish the clumsy stuttering of an apology.  
"That's enough Emma," Regina's voice shook.

She wouldn't even meet my eyes and the ice in her voice made the fine hairs on my arms rise. I could feel the tears threaten to break free and either the temperature in the room or the fear of what I had done made me shiver.

"Regina, I get that your mad, but if you would just listen to-" I tried again, knowing full well that I should have brought a coffee or ginger ale or _something_ to help my case.  
"Walk away."

If her voice didn't hold so much finality, the way she turned her back towards me, the stiff shoulders and clutched fists at her sides told me I would be in the doghouse until I found a way to clear up this huge misunderstanding.

"No." I said it with much more bravado than I actually felt.  
"Excuse me?"

I took a few tentative steps closer to where she was standing behind her fortress of a desk. I felt like a lion sneaking up on its prey, hoping I didn't scare her away.

"I won't allow you do to this just because you're afraid."

Regina turned around so fast that her now long dark tresses couldn't keep up and covered half her face. A frustrated hand tossed them back over her shoulder, letting the locks contrast the maroon colored blouse she was wearing.

"You have some nerve! I'm afraid? _I'm_ afraid?" She was practically seething, and it was my all my fault.

"Do I need to remind you that I'm not the one who asked for someone's hand in marriage and then took it back? I know you think I have a mean streak sometimes and I have done a lot of things I would change and do differently if given the chance, but I would _never_ toy with someone's feeling like that."

We were standing so close that I could make out the light freckles on her nose and the tiny little scar right above those lips I would kiss goodnight and good morning over a shared pillow or cup of coffee. She had fallen of a horse when she was eight, and she hadn't shed a tear when the doctors stitched her up. The only thing that could ever make her cry was a broken heart and now I was the sole cause for this hurt.

"Regina, listen to me," I tentatively reached out to touch her elbow but her little shiver of recoil almost broke me. Her tears were running freely down her cheeks now. Instead of running, like I had done so many times before, I took a deep breath and gently wrapped my arms around her. The sound of her breath hitching made me raise a hand and gently wipe away the fallen tears. My own were left to fall freely. I didn't deserve better for royally fucking things up to the extent that I had done. Insecure golden brown eyes finally met my own green and I swallowed hard. I tucked a stray lock behind her ear, and closed my eyes for a second; nauseous about the fact that I had caused the woman I love this much grief.

"I am so sorry. I do want to marry you and I am so sorry that I ever made you believe otherwise." Seeing how I still had her attention and Regina hadn't called forth an orbit of fire in the palm of her hand yet, I continued.

"The reason I took it back was because I wanted it to be perfect. I had a whole evening planned out. I was going to take you down to the beach and bring a basket of apple turnovers and a bottle of cabernet sauvignon. We were going to watch the waves rolling in and the sun setting and I was going to tell you everything I love about you and why I would be the luckiest person on earth if you could be persuaded into spending your life with me." I really had thought of everything. I even made a list on my phone of all the 89 reasons she should say yes if she had any objections after my whole spiel.

"What I didn't plan was blurting the question right after I asked you to please pass the bacon during breakfast while running late for work. In hindsight I realize texting you and taking it back an hour later might not have been one of my finer moments. I panicked and called Henry on my way to the station and he agreed. He also said I'd better fix things asap before I'd done irreparable damage."

Tears finally dry, Regina simply looked at me for what had to be close to half an eternity before she got up on her toes and planted a soft kiss on my unsuspecting lips.

"You're lucky I put up with your extreme stupidity."  
The grin that broke free on my face was probably bright enough to warrant use of sunglasses.

"Does that mean you actually say yes?" I quickly added, "When I ask you properly that is." Which would be later that day come hell and high water, or in our case, giants on the loose, frozen monsters or Gold on a rampage. The wine was already chilling in the fridge.

Regina just smiled that smile of hers that made my knees give out just a little.

"Yes, I suppose I'll marry you when you finally ask." I gave her a quick peck and a hug, words failing me mercilessly in the unabashed cocoon of happiness I was floating in.  
Regina packed up her various documents and turned off her computer screen while I was left standing in my own gloating because I'd finally done something right.  
She took my hand and guided me towards the door. Right before I was about to turn the handle she squeezed my hand, a smirk wrapped around the words that would become a running gag throughout our marriage.

"However, I would check my phone every now and then if I were you. You might find a text saying I've taken it back."  
I just laughed as we walked hand in hand out of her office. I deserved that.

* * *

AN: The reason it might find this piece a little out of character is because it was originally written for a creative writing class at uni, and since I couldn't make it obvious to my teacher that she was reading fan fiction I had to wing it a bit with their characterisations. You might be shaking your head going; well dude, you could just.. you know- REWRITE IT to make it fit! And you would be 100% correct, however, as I've had a muse who's gone into hiding and have been awol for about 3 years- I'm posting this to make her realise that she should come back and save me. It's an act of desperation.  
PS1: I'm not a native English speaker so I'm blaming all the mistakes you've just read on that fact. (wait, I can do that, right?)  
PS2: For the wonderful beings who follow my R&I story- I've begun writing on it again and it WILL be finished! 3


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